1707
oil
panel
From the collection of National Gallery of Ireland
A Hippopotamus and Crocodile Hunt is a 1707 oil by Peter Paul Rubens, a Flemish Baroque painting work, held at National Gallery of Ireland.
This painting depicts a chaotic scene of men on horseback hunting a hippopotamus and a crocodile. The men are dressed in robes and turbans, and they wield swords and spears as they attack the animals. The hippopotamus and crocodile are shown in the foreground, with the men and horses surrounding them. In the background, there is a body of water with palm trees on the shore. The sky above is blue with white clouds. The overall atmosphere of the painting is one of energy and movement, with the men and animals in dynamic poses. The use of chiaroscuro, a technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of volume and depth, adds to the dramatic effect of the painting. Next, explore the work of Peter Paul Rubens.
Sir Peter Paul Rubens ( ROO-bənz; Dutch: ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat.
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